What are Mexican sopes?
Sopes (pronounced soh-pez) are a popular dish in Mexican cuisine that is easy to fall in love with. They are made of masa, corn dough, and have a thick tortilla-like circular base with a small border around the edges. The border helps to keep the fillings inside. Sopes can be deep-fried or cooked on a Mexican stovetop griddle called a comal.
The fillings for sopes, which originated in central Mexico, can vary depending on the region, but they typically include refried beans, cheese, lettuce, salsa, and meat or carne asada. However, you can customize the toppings to your liking, which makes sopes a versatile and exciting dish to experiment with, especially when you eat vegan Mexican food.
Making homemade sopes is easy, and they can be served for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even as an appetizer. This recipe is vegan and healthier than the traditional one.
Ingredients
- Masa harina
- Salt, I use kosher salt
How to make Sopes?
- Make the masa. In a large bowl, mix masa harina and salt. Gradually add warm water and knead until the dough is smooth and pliable. I like to think the best way to describe the consistency you are looking for is the same as play dough. If it’s too dry, add more water; if it’s too wet, add a little more masa harina.
- Make the sope. Take a small portion of the masa dough and roll it into a ball roughly the size of a golf ball. Flatten the ball using a tortilla press lined with plastic or between your palms.
- Cook. Heat a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Cook each sope for about 1-2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and puffed up slightly and look dry. Remove from heat and let them cool for 30 seconds to a minute.
- Pinch the edges. After removing it from the heat and waiting for it to cool down, cautiously pinch around the edges to form a small rim. If the scope is still very hot, use a kitchen towel to avoid burning yourself.
- Frying time (optional). If you wish to fry them, heat a frying pan with vegetable oil and fry the sope until golden and crispy on the edges.
- Add the Toppings: Spread a layer of refried beans on the sope base, then add your desired toppings. Finish with a dollop of Mexican crema or sour cream and drizzle Mexican salsa.
Best vegan toppings for sopes
Creative Toppings: Don’t be afraid to get creative with your toppings. Try unconventional ingredients like roasted vegetables, birria or tinga. There is no wrong way to finish them.
You can add toppings you would put on a taco to your homemade sopes. Consider sopes as an exposed taco shell that goes well with anything you put on top of it. Prepare them with refried beans, chorizo, mushrooms, or just salsa.
- Refried beans (a must-have base layer) or frijoles puercos
- Shredded lettuce or cabbage for a crunch
- Freshly chopped cilantro for a burst of flavor
- Diced onions for a sharp bite or Mexican pickled onions
- Sliced radishes for peppery freshness
- Crumbled queso fresco or another cheese of your liking
- A dollop of sour cream or Mexican crema for creaminess
- Cooked and shredded “chicken”, “beef”, or “pork” for heartiness
- Salsa verde or roja to add a kick
Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Sopes
- Getting the Right Consistency: The key to perfect sopes is in the dough. It should be soft and moist but not sticky. This ensures your sopes are tender on the inside yet sturdy enough to hold the toppings.
- Rest the dough: After mixing the masa harina with water, let the dough rest for about 10-15 minutes. This resting time allows the masa to hydrate fully and become easier to work with.
- Use fresh masa: If possible, use fresh masa instead of masa harina. Fresh masa will give your sopes a richer flavor and better texture. You can usually find fresh masa at Mexican grocery stores or specialty food markets.
- Properly shape the sopes: When shaping the sopes, make sure to press the masa balls evenly and firmly to create a consistent thickness. Use your hands or a flat-bottomed dish to press and shape the masa into a small tortilla with a raised border.
- The Perfect Pinch: The sope must be hot when making the border (rim); I like to let them cool for a bit and use a kitchen towel, to protect my fingers from getting burned. The rim should be high enough to keep the toppings secure but not so high that it becomes difficult to eat.
- Cook on a hot griddle: Preheat a cast iron skillet, comal, or griddle over medium heat before cooking the sopes. This will help them cook evenly and develop a nice golden color. Avoid overcrowding the cooking surface to ensure proper heat distribution.
- Flip at the right time: Wait until the bottom side of the sope looks dry and has some cracks before flipping it. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes. Flipping too early may cause the sope to stick or lose its shape.
- Fry for extra crispiness: If you prefer extra crispy sopes, you can fry them after cooking them on the griddle. Heat some vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry the sopes on each side for a minute or two until they turn golden and crispy. After frying, drain the excess oil or place it on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Then, prepare it as you normally would.
- Serving Suggestions: Sopes are best enjoyed fresh and warm. Serve them as a main dish, make mini versions, and serve as appetizers for a party. They’re sure to be a hit!
Frequently asked questions
Mexican Sopes Recipe
Sopes are a 3 ingredient staple in Mexican cuisine. This thick tortilla-like circular base made from masa is then pinched around the edges to form a slight rim that acts as a barrier to hold an assortment of toppings. The beauty of sopes lies in their versatility; you can customize the toppings to suit your taste, making them an exciting dish to try.
Equipment
- Griddle
Ingredients
- 2 cups masa harina
- 1½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
For serving
- 1 ½ cup refried beans
- 2-3 cups sliced romaine lettuce
- Mexican salsa
- Mexican pickled red onion
- vegan sour cream or Mexican crema
Instructions
- To make a perfect masa dough, mix the masa harina and salt in a bowl and gradually add water until the dough reaches a soft consistency. If needed, add more water in small increments, but be careful not to add too much. The dough should be perfectly soft.
- Heat a pan or skillet on medium-high heat to cook the sopes.
- For cooking sopes, heat a pan or skillet on medium-high heat. Take some masa harina dough, and form it into a ball. Place the ball between two pieces of plastic and use a tortilla press or flat-bottomed plate to apply pressure until you get a flat and even disk. This will result in a thick tortilla.The masa disk for sopes should be around 1/4 inch or 0.6 cm thick to make it sturdy enough to hold the toppings without falling apart.
- To cook the masa disks, place them on a pan and wait until the top dries out. Then, flip them over and allow them to cook completely. Once done, remove them from the griddle and pinch the edges using your fingers. Be careful as they will be extremely hot.
- Once the sopes are ready, add refried beans, lettuce, Mexican salsa, and cream. You can also add red onion or pickled onion and some sliced chiles.
Notes
- To store sopes, you should first let them cool to room temperature. Once they have cooled down, you can place them in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in plastic. Sopes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months. When you are ready to eat them, simply reheat them in the oven or stovetop until they are heated and crispy again.
- Cook on a hot griddle: Preheat a cast iron skillet, comal, or griddle over medium heat before cooking the sopes. This will help them cook evenly and develop a nice golden color. Avoid overcrowding the cooking surface to ensure proper heat distribution.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 167kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 5gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 553mgPotassium: 104mgFiber: 4gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1122IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 3mg
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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A Couple Cooks’ adoption story inspires this post.
Soy Ale Graf, mexicana en Texas y la creadora de AleCooks y Piloncillo&Vainilla, donde comparto recetas fáciles, deliciosas y para toda la familia — algunas mexicanas, en su mayoría basadas en plantas — pensadas para disfrutarse todo el día, todos los días. Con una licenciatura en Historia del Arte y una Certificación como Chef Profesional en Cocina Basada en Plantas, llevo más de una década creando contenido donde se unen mis dos pasiones: la comida y el storytelling.
Mi enfoque está en recetas que reúnen a las personas alrededor de la mesa, haciendo de cada comida un momento sencillo, delicioso y significativo. También soy autora de Yo Cocino Latino, y mis recetas han sido destacadas en varias revistas y publicaciones en línea.
¡Sígueme en mis redes sociales para inspiración diaria, tips y recetas deliciosas! Y si alguna vez pruebas una de mis recetas — o tienes una receta familiar favorita — ¡me encantaría saberlo! Mándame un DM en Instagram y hablemos de comida. 🍽️✨
Mi enfoque está en recetas que reúnen a las personas alrededor de la mesa, haciendo de cada comida un momento sencillo, delicioso y significativo. También soy autora de Yo Cocino Latino, y mis recetas han sido destacadas en varias revistas y publicaciones en línea.
¡Sígueme en mis redes sociales para inspiración diaria, tips y recetas deliciosas! Y si alguna vez pruebas una de mis recetas — o tienes una receta familiar favorita — ¡me encantaría saberlo! Mándame un DM en Instagram y hablemos de comida. 🍽️✨
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